Since time immemorial, humans have used plant-derived remedies to cure certain conditions, relieve stress, or achieve altered states of awareness. Kratom is one of these herbal remedies.
Indigenous to South East Asia and Thailand, Kratom is a tropical tree whose leaves produce complex stimulant and opioid-like analgesic effects. It’s been used to manage pain, mitigate opioid-withdrawal, cough, stave off fatigue, and self-treat signs of depression and anxiety.
Important Update December 2022: Our friends at Nova Kratom are offering free samples of various strains of Kratom (150g), and also 30% OFF any order with code DEC30. Nova offers amazingly fresh and strong kratom – and entirely free samples – there’s no reason not to check them out! Click here to take advantage of the 30% off and get 1.7% mit (lab-tested) Kratom at $60/kg.
As such, Kratom has become one of the most highly-coveted herbal remedies. In Europe and the USA, Kratom is available in smoke shops and reliable online Kratom vendors such as Nova Kratom.
Due to its effectiveness, many people have started combining it with different drugs probably to hasten the healing process. One such drug is Prozac (popularly known as Fluoxetine) – an antidepressant that falls in the class of medications known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) that are used to treat depression.
In this article, we take a closer look at how Kratom interacts with drugs like Prozac.
How Kratom And Prozac Combination Work?
Kratom and Prozac work in synergy. At lower doses, Kratom’s active ingredient, mitragynine, produces energizing effects while in higher doses it has sedative effects. These effects are primarily due to mitragynine’s interaction with the mu-receptors in the brain.
Prozac, on the other hand, works by interacting with serotonin receptors in the brain to ensure that there is enough serotonin. Serotonin is the key hormone that is involved in modulating our moods, happiness, well-being, sleeping, eating, and digestion.
And since both Kratom and Prozac act on receptors that sometimes communicate with each other in certain brain processes, there is likely an interaction that occurs, which gives the user a feeling of contentment.
How is Kratom Used?
Kratom can be taken in a variety of forms. Firstly, it can be ingested in the form of tablets, capsules, tinctures, extracts, and even gum.
At times, the dried leaves can be ground into a powder and ingested while in some cases people prefer boiling the leaves and consuming them as tea.
What’s more, Kratom can be vaporized or smoked like marijuana. However, this method is less common.
While the method of ingestion can influence how fast Kratom effects kick-in, there is no documented study identifying any of the above methods as the best.
How is Prozac Used?
Prozac or Fluoxetine – as it is popularly known comes in the form of a capsule, tablet, and syrup. This medication can be taken with or without food.
Dosage and administration of Kratom and Prozac
When it comes to dosage, there is little known information about Kratom dosage. This means that the dosage amount is solely dependent on you.
Basically, smaller doses of 1 to 5 grams of Kratom tend to give users more energy and focus, whereas moderate doses of 5 to 15 grams have been reported to help users ease the pain much faster but at the same time bring in feelings of euphoria.
On the other hand, users have reported that doses above 15 grams cause sedation effects and pose an increased risk of serious side effects.
As such, it is paramount to consider your health status, age, and sex before you start taking Kratom either on its own or in combination with other drugs.
Just like Kratom, Prozac is prescribed in lower doses of 5 mg when starting and then increased gradually to 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg, in that order. However, it is good to keep in mind that the maximum dose you can take in a single day is 80 mg.
The drug is usually taken once a day at around the same time every day or as prescribed by your doctor or psychiatrist. The drug takes somewhere between 4 to 5 weeks before you can start experiencing its full benefits.
So, do not stop taking it if without notifying your caregiver as you might start experiencing withdrawal symptoms such as agitation, numbness, dizziness, confusion, mood changes, sweating, sleeping disorders, headaches, and tiredness.
Kratom Side Effects
The side effects of Kratom are more likely than others, depending on the dosage, the individual, method of ingestion, and other factors.
While Kratom usually takes 5 to10 minutes for its effects to kick in after ingestion, some of these effects can last anywhere between 2 to 5 hours to completely wear out.
The following side effects of Kratom are based on the currently available research. So, they might not be exhaustive. They include:
Mild side effects of Kratom
- Constipation
- Dry mouth
- Mood changes
- Drowsiness
- Vomiting
- Frequent urination
- Itching
- Hallucinations
- vomiting
- Nausea
- Increased urination
- Appetite loss
- Hallucinations
- Fatigue
Severe side effects of Kratom
- Insomnia
- Seizures
- Liver damage
- Increased blood pressure
- Weight loss
- Loss of libido
- Kidney problems
- Memory loss
- Dark spots
- Psychosis
Make sure you contact your healthcare provider if you are experiencing any of the above severe side effects.
Prozac Side Effects
While Prozac (Fluoxetine) is one the most prescribed medications for treating conditions like depressions and panic attacks, there still are adverse side effects that can arise from its use.
Here are the common side effects of Prozac.
Mild side effects:
- Sleeping problems
- Loss of appetite
- Too much sweating
- Dry mouth
- Dizziness
- Yawning
- Nervousness and anxiety
- Diarrhea
- Loss of sexual interest
- Headache
- Restlessness
- Decreased appetite
- Dry mouth
- Weight loss
Adverse side effects include:
- Seizures
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
- Breathing troubles
- Swallowing problems
- Chest pain
- Fainting
- Fever
- Suicidal thoughts and behaviors
- Aggression and rage
- Liver damage and even death
- Bleeding
Is Kratom and Prozac Safe?
As reported by most users, Kratom and Prozac are safe to use together but in prescribed amounts. In lower doses, Kratom can increase alertness, focus, attention, and energy.
In high doses, however, and when mixed with other drugs or alcohol, Kratom can cause narcotic effects similar to those caused by powerful drugs such as morphine.
That said, it is clear that Kratom has potential risks that are yet to be fully known. Prozac also has its adverse side effects.
As such, you need to be very careful when using these two drugs together. Ideally, people who want to try should start with small doses of Kratom and then increase it gradually.
Conclusion
Kratom is a highly effective plant-derived remedy that can be used together with antidepressants such as Prozac. However, when using it, safety should be your highest priority. And by safety we mean where you purchase it and the amount that you take per day.
Ensure that you purchase your Kratom from reliable online vendors such as Nova Kratom that have a good reputation and high community rating.
This content is brought to you by the FingerLakes1.com Team. Support our mission by visiting www.patreon.com/fl1 or learn how you send us your local content here.